Common, seemingly safe items in your life may put you at higher risk for sun damage. Here's how to tell what that nasty burn is all about.

If you've ever gotten a searing, painful sunburn after spending a fraction of the time you can normally spend in the sun without burning, you may have had a sun-sensitive reaction. Here are tips for sun protection for sensitive skin.

Some medications—antibiotics, birth control pills, cardiac drugs, diuretics and NSAIDs, to name a few—and certain topical creams, such as retinoids, may up the skin's sensitivity to ultraviolet, or UV, radiation, making it more susceptible to burning.

"You'd be surprised at how many medications can potentially make you more sensitive to the sun," says Jo-Ann Latkowski, MD, assistant professor of dermatology at New York University School of Medicine in New York City.

Some common household items may also be silent culprits for sensitive skin. A substance called psoralens, found in certain plants, fruits and vegetables such as limes, parsnips, figs, parsley and celery, is a common cause of reactions, according to Kavita Mariwalla, MD, chief resident in the department of dermatology at Yale University in New Haven, Conn.

"People who handle these items—a bartender, salad chef or gardener—then go out in the sun are often affected," Mariwalla says. "Even the casual margarita or mojito can give you enough lime juice on the hands to cause a reaction if you're out in the sun."

Your Sunscreen May Be to Blame

Oxybenzone and PABA, common ingredients in many sunscreens, may also affect your sensitive skin. This is particularly troubling since most reactions happen towards the beginning of summer, when your skin is most pale and in need of major sun protection.

A sun-sensitive reaction can look like a regular sunburn, but it could also be a funny looking rash that doesn't go away after a few days. You might even have blisters or eczema-like scaliness. The tell-tale sign is that the reaction will occur pretty soon after stepping into the sun.

"The speed with which a sun-sensitive reaction will occur depends on the time of year and where you are, because the amount of UV present directly affects the reaction," Mariwalla says.

For instance, you could be in Canada in June with a sun-sensitive chemical all over your body without incident, but the next day in Miami you may develop a severe, painful rash.

If you suspect you have a sensitivity to sun, your dermatologist can perform photopatch testing to determine what chemical is causing the reaction. When taking a new drug, check with your pharmacist and read the accompanying drug information to be sure you won't have a reaction. Experts recommend that you take extra sun protection for sensitive skin and protective precautions towards the beginning of summer.

"We need to reset our limits on how much sun we know we can take," says Latkowski. "Start wearing sunscreen every day when the sun starts getting stronger. Wear it on your face, chest, hands and other sun-exposed areas."